Disappearing support



Dec. 3l, 1929. A. w. LEONHARDT 1,741,703

DISAPPEARING SUPPORT Filed April 26. 1928 ATTORNEYS? Patented Dec. 31, 1929 ANDREW W. LEONHARDT, F CLEVELAND, OHIO DISAPPEARING SUPPORT Application filed April 26,

The present invention relates, as indicated, to a disappearing support, and more particularly to a support for a calculating machine, or the like, adapted to be mounted below the y surface of a desk or table and to be movable into and out of accessible position. The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of the type indicated which will be inexpensive to manufacture, certain and easy in operation, ands'ingularly free from mechanical accidents. l Further objects will appear as the description progresses. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying` the invent-ion, such dis- 2O closed means constituting,however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings:

*Fig 1 is a transverse sectional view of a desk top and support well mounted therebelow; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the well and its enclosed mechanism removed from lthe desk; and Fig. 8 is a fragmental plan View of a desk top, indicating the position of the aperture so therein.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 indicates a well or box secured to the under side ofa desk or table top 2, said top being provided with an aperture 3 therein opening into said well. VAs has been indicated, the support herein disclosed is ladapted primarily for calculating machines. Machines of this type are ordiynarily operated by` one hand, the operator keeping directly in front of him tables of figures, and preferring to have the machine adjacent his right hand. If the machine is squared up with the edges of the table or desk, the operator sitting or standing in front of the desk, must twist the arm with which he is operating the machine in order properly to cover the keyboard. One of the objects of the present invention is to mount t-he machine in such a position that it will be most conveniently accessible to the operator, and that the 19278. Serial No. 272,874.

operator will not have to twist his arm out of thefnormal position in operating the inachine. The location and relative position of the aperture 3 through which the machine extends when in position to be operated is clearly illustrated in Fig. 3.

Vithin the well 1, the lower edge 4L of on end 5 of a box like support 6 is hinged as at 7 to one end wall 8v ofsaid well below the plane of the desk top 2. The support 6 -is adapted to'carry the'calculat-ing machine (not shown), and normally assumes the position illustrated in full lines in Fig. 1. f

Adjacent the opposite end 9 of the well there is mounted a transverse shaft 10 upon which is rotatably mounted a wheelll.' AV pin 12 extends laterally from the inner face of said wheel 11 adjacent the rim thereof and carries a roller 13. Y One side wall 14 of the support 6 has secured thereto adjacentits free end, a pair of spaced rails 15 and 16, and

the roller 13 is provided with a reduced-portion adapted to be received between said rails to provide a lost moti-on connection between said wheel and said free end of said support 6. A second wheel 17 mounted on said shaft 10 adjacent the opposite end thereof carries a pin 18 and a roller 19, the latter being adapted to cooperate with similar rails carried on the opposite side wall 20 of said box 6.

A cover 21 is hinged as at 22 to the desk top 2 and is adapted to close the aperture 8, and when in closed position, to lie exactly in the plane'of the desk top 2 to form a smooth continuation thereof over said aperture. A bracket 23 is secured to theinner surface of said cover 21 by means of bolts 24 or the like, and said bracket is formed with a projection 25 which extends beyond the hinge vpoint 22 and beneath the edge 26 of the desk top 2. One end 27 of a link 28 is pivoted to the extreme end of said projection 25, and the opposite end 29 of said link is pivoted to said wheel 11 at a point adjacent the hub 30 thereof. A ring hold 31 is provided on 'said cover 21.

It will be seen that, when theparts are in the position illustrated in full lines in Fig, 1, the top of the desk is substantially smooth and is not obstructed in any way by the maf chine or by the parts of the supportdevice.

If, now, the operator desires access to the machine, he lifts the cover 21 by means of the ring hold 31 and moves it about the hinge 22 to the position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Such movement of the cover member 21 causes the bracket 23 to act upon the link 28 yto rotate the wheel 11 very slightly in a clockwise direction, andthen materially in a counterclockwise direction until the parts assume the positions illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. During such movement, the rollers 13 and 19 slide along between the rails 15 and 16 on the walls 14 and 20 of said support, and cause the free end of said support to be lifted into the position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Calculating machines are fairly heavydevices, and it will be noted that the leverage of the device .does not provide any great mechanical advantage. Consequently, I prefer to provide a counterweight means for assisting theoperator in moving the machine into accessible position. Such means includes a rod or bar 32 secured at its opposite ends Vto said wheels 11 and 17, and one or more counterweights 33. Each of said counterweights is provided with a recess 34 for cooperation with the shaft 10, and with a slot or notch 35 for cooperation with the bar 32, whereby said counterweights are supported. y

I prefer to provide means whereby any support may be used in conjunction with any type of calculating machine. To the accomplishment of this end, I build the support 6 of such size as to insure accommodation of any machine, and then provide blocks or strips 36 and 37 in various sizes and shapes to be inserted, preferablyby tongue and groove connections as indicated at 38, to provide for accommodation of various machines. One such set of blocks is indicated in Fig. 2, the block 37 is said figure being provided with a cut out portion 39 fforthe accommodation'of the reset handle of a certain type of machine.

Of course, it is to be understood that the wheel 11 is, to all intents and purposes, the equivalent of alever pivoted at 10 andshaped to accommodate the end 29 of the link 28 and the pin 12 in the relative positions indicated.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means'stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means beeinployed.

I `therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. rIhe combination with a desk top, of a well sunk below the level of said desk top, a support hinged within said well below the level of said ,desk top, a wheel rotatably mounted in said well, means providing a lostmotion connectionr between the rim -of said wheel and the free end of said support, a cover hinged to said desk top in the plane thereof, and a link connected to said cover and to said wheel.

2. The combination with a desk top, of a well sunk below the level of said desk top, a support hinged within said well below the level .of said desk top, a wheel rotatably mounted within said well, a pin projecting laterally from one face of said wheel adjacent 'the rim thereof, a pair of spaced rails secured to one side wall of said support adj acent its free end and extending longitudinally thereof, said pin being received between said rails, and means for rotating said wheel.

3. The combination with a desk top, of a well sunkvbelow the level of vsaid desk top, a support hinged within said well below the level of said desk top, a wheel rotatably mounted within said well, a pin projecting laterally from one face of said wheel adjacent the rim thereof, a pair of spaced rails secured to one side wall of said support adj acent its free end and extending longitudinally th ei'eof, said pin being received between said rails, a cover hinged to said desk top in the plane thereof, anda link connected at one end to said cover and at its opposite end to said wheel.

l. The combination with a desk top, of a well sunk below the level of said desk top, a support hinged within said well below the level of said desk top, a wheel rotatably mounted within said well, a pin projecting laterally from one face of said wheel adjacent the rin` thereof, a roller mounted on said pin,

a pair of spaced rails secured toone side wall of said supportand extendinglongitudinally thereof, said roller being received between said rails, a cover hinged to said desk top in the plane thereof, and a link connected to said cover and to said wheel, whereby movement of said cover on its hinge causes rotation of said wheel.

5. rThe combination with a desk having an aperture in lits top, of a well secured tothe lower surface of said desk top and opening through said aperture, a cover for saidaperture hinged to said desk top in the plane thereof, a support hinged in vsaid well, a wheel rotatably mounted in said well, a roller mounted on a pin projecting from one face of said wheel adjacent its rim, a pair of spaced rails mounted on one side wall of said support and extending longitudinally thereof, said roller being received between said rails, a bracket secured to the inner face of said cover adjacent its hinged end, a projection on said bracket extending beyond said hingedend and beneath said desktop, and a link pivoted at its one end to said bracket projection and at its opposite end to said wheel adjacent the hub thereof.

6. The combination with a desk'having an aperture in its top, of a well secured to the lower surface of said desk top and opening through said aperture, a cover for said aperture hinged to said desk top in the plane thereof, a support hinged in said Well, a Wheel rotatably mounted in said Well, a roller mounted on a pin projecting from one face of said Wheel adjacent its rim, a pair of spaced rails mounted on one side Wall of said support and extending longitudinally thereof, said roller being received between said rails, a bracket secured to the inner face of said cover adjacent its hinged end, a projection 1 on said bracket extending beyond said hinged end and beneath said desk top, a link pvoted at its one end to said bracket projection and at its opposite end to said Wheel adjacent the hub thereof, and a counterweight mounted on said Wheel and adapted to assist opening movement of said cover.

Signed by me this 24th day of April, 1928.

ANDREW YV. LEONHARDT. 

